Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 01:20:06 GMT
From: patcross@kskc.net
Subject: Pat and John-16

    After the Stephens' somewhat tearful and chaotic holiday, things returned
to normal when the boys returned to school. Much to their surprise, they were
greeted as heroes, John for overcoming his injuries and Pat for overcoming a
battle with hate that no one thought he could win. It seemed the good guys had
won these two fights, and were now ready to get on with their lives.

    Pat, of course, was extremely nervous about returning, but as the day went
on, he found nothing had changed, really. He still had his crazy friends, and
they still loved him, but they now saw him in a new light. They realized that,
despite his disability, he  stood up for what was good and right, no matter
what the personal cost.

    This unspoken message spread through school, and it earned Pat an unspoken
respect. It also helped him regain his confidence lost at the hands of Junior
Davis. When Pat entered each of his classes, every one of his teachers greeted
him with a hug as the class clapped and whistled. He had no idea that he was
missed that much.

    The same thing was happening to John, too. In every class, hugs and
applause, smiles and laughter. John also stood for what was good and right, and
he always stood up for the smaller kid.

    Coach Sloane asked to see them during their PE class. "Fellows, Dr. Mike
called me and asked if you two would like to join our Swim team. We could use
two tough guys like you. How about it?", he asked.

    John looked at Pat, grinned, and said, "Sure! We'd like to! Pat and I will
need to continue our leg therapy to do it, though." Coach Sloane
replied, "That's all I ask." Both boys went to their next classes happy. Pat's
next class was his counseling session. Pat happily related how his first day at
school was going, and how happy he was to see his friends and teachers.

    Before the last bell rang and school was over for the day, Pat's counselor
reminded him that there would be not so happy days. Pat, with a tear in his
eye, gently told her that he was reminded of that every day when he looked at
his parent's photograph.

    Quietly, the boys left school and headed for home. John knew that something
was bothering Pat, so he asked if there was something wrong. Pat said there
wasn't, but he was thinking about something his counselor had said to him
earlier.

    After they relaxed a bit, and had finished their homework, the boys went
down for supper. Interested in what happened their first day back at school,
the parents grilled their sons with "20 Questions". Some questions were sillier
than others, and soon had the house filled with laughter. Naturally, these two
very smart boys turned the tables when they subjected the 'rents to a teenage
version of "20 Questions", and again, the house was filled with laughter.

    After kissing their parents goodnight, the boys went upstairs and took a
bath together. Nothing real serious, just a nice intimate bath together, where
the most they did was kiss passionately (after all, it was a school night), and
cleaned each other. After drying each other off, they climbed into bed,
passionately kissed for 10 minutes or so, gently caressed each others'
genitals, and went to sleep in each others' arms.